Top ranked Gophers rout North Dakota

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KNSI) Ben Marshall scored the game-winning goal on the power play as top-ranked Minnesota beat rival North Dakota 5-1 on Friday in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Marshall scored on a rebound with six seconds left in the second period to break a 1-1 tie. Then Minnesota poured it on in the third.

Nate Schmidt, Nate Condon and Erik Haula scored for the Gophers (17-3-3, 9-3-3), who stretched their winning streak to six games behind Adam Wilcox's 24 saves. Condon's goal was short-handed and Haula's was empty-net.

Michael Parks had the only goal for sixth-ranked North Dakota (13-7-3, 8-4-3).

Corban Knight had an assist to extend his point-scoring streak to 18 games, the longest by a North Dakota player since Dixon Ward in 1990-91.

It is the final WCHA series between the long-time rivals. Minnesota will go to the Big Ten next season and North Dakota will join the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.